ILO, NLC sign collaborative agreement to advance migration governance, education in Nigeria

IN a bid to improve migration governance, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have signed an agreement for a collaborative project on “Return and Reintegration of Migrant Workers”, with emphasis on sensitisation and awareness creation across the country.

The project, according to the ILO, will improve workers’ voice in labour migration governance and provide an opportunity to build awareness and capability of trade unions.

Speaking during the signing of agreement, the Director of the ILO Office for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Mrs. Vanessa Phala said there are so much collaborative work going on between the ILO and the NLC.

Phala harped on the need to also build the capacity of media practitioners in reporting labour migration, in a bid to ensure they understand the intricacies of labour migration governance to enable them report accurately.

She said, “With this implementation agreement, it is an opportunity to also build awareness and capacity of the trade union movement in the issue of labour migration, particularly also drawing in the participation of colleagues from the media. So that they get to understand the new sense of the issues that we are dealing with, because they stand in a very important position to educate and to create awareness. So they need to do so from a point of accurate information, and from the point of factual information about the work we are doing.

“I am happy we are able to forge the partnership so that you can also implement specific interventions targeting workers and involving workers and making sure there is also a broader understanding on how we can improve your voice in issues regarding the promotion of effective labour migration governance processes.”

She reiterated the commitment of the ILO to continue to provide support towards effective support for trade unions in areas of mutual interest, such as labour migration governance, child labour and decent work as well as Gender-Based Violence and Harassment (GBVH).

In his remarks, NLC Acting General Secretary, Comrade Ismail Bello said the issue of migration concerns all, adding that the congress will always seek out means to protect rights of workers irrespective of their status.

“On this issue of migration, we are very much glad to be involved and we will take seriously like any of our routine beat. We will do our best. We are committed to seeing the project through as partners with the ILO.”